Leonard Maltin

Leonard Maltin is one of the very few film historians to attain visibility as well as readability to a wide public. He began his career at the age of 15 as founder, publisher and editor of FILM FAN MO...
Read More...

Acclaimed drama Boyhood scored four awards including the Best Picture prize from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LACFA) on Sunday (07Dec14). The coming-of-age film was the clear favourite from the California critics group, earning not only the top prize, but Best Director for filmmaker Richard Linklater, Best Actress for Patricia Arquette and Best Editing.
The multiple wins came the same day Boyhood scooped Best Picture from the Boston Society of Film Critics and the New York Film Critics Online organisations, as well as the Best International Independent Film at the British Independent Film Awards in London, where Linklater was on hand to receive the accolade.
Tying for two awards apiece was Wes Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel, which won Best Screenplay and Best Production Design, and Polish film Ida, which nabbed Best Foreign Language Film and Best Supporting Actress for its star Agata Kulesza.
Tom Hardy was honoured for his role in British drama Locke with the Best Actor trophy, while J.K. Simmons earned Best Supporting Actor for Whiplash.
Radiohead rocker Jonny Greenwood was recognised for his third musical collaboration with director Paul Thomas Anderson for his film Inherent Vice, tying for the Best Music Score with Mica Levi (Under the Skin), while Birdman, which is a top Oscar contender, took home the award for Best Cinematography.
Meanwhile, Best Animation went to Japan's Tale of the Princess Kaguya, and Citizenfour, which chronicles infamous U.S. whistleblower Edward Snowden, landed the Best Documentary award.
Winners will formally receive their prizes during the LAFCA awards dinner in Los Angeles, when veteran actress Gena Rowlands and American film critic Leonard Maltin will receive special lifetime achievement honours.

A 'lost' film starring Canadian actress Mary Pickford is to be restored and given a public showing. The 1911 film Their First Misunderstanding was the first on-screen credit for Pickford, who went on to win two Oscars, but historians who follow the actress' career thought the movie had disappeared never to be seen again.
A carpenter named Peter Massie discovered a copy in a barn in 2006 with six other vintage film reels, and the US Library of Congress is now funding a project to restore it.
The barn had previously been used as a summer camp and it is thought the films had been shown to youngsters on vacation.
Massie donated the films to Keene State College, New Hampshire, where one was identified as a 'lost' Pickford movie.
Keene State College will host the public showing of the film in October (13).
Movie historian Leonard Maltin tells CBS News, "We have a list of all of Mary Pickford's films, but this was among the missing. It's like finding an early George Gershwin, or an unpublished short story by Mark Twain."

The entire entertainment community is in mourning today, as legendary film critic Roger Ebert passed away after a long battle with cancer. His loss will be felt by millions — including his industry friends, like famed critic Leonard Maltin. "The thing I'm remembering now, most, is his bravery," Maltin says. "It's easy for me to talk about his skill as a writer and a critic, and his impact on our culture and society. But what I'm really thinking about is his incredible bravery, facing one crisis after another. It's incredible."
Maltin is referring not only to the cancer, but the resulting facial surgery that led to Ebert losing his jaw — and with it, the ability to talk, eat, and drink. Still, fans of his work can rest assured that he knew that he was loved. "I'm sure he'd be flattered [by the outpouring of grief]," Maltin says. "He had his share of accolades during his lifetime. I'm glad he knew how people felt about him. I got to know him... like so many other people, through television. I started running into him at festivals and events, but it was only when the Internet made it possible to read his reviews and essays, [that] I really came to appreciate what a thoughtful critic and what a wonderful writer he was."
After sending his best wishes to Ebert's wife Chaz and reiterating what a good person he was, Maltin sent us some of his formal thoughts on Ebert's legacy. See Maltin's entire write-up on his website.
"I’m still in a state of shock over the news of Roger Ebert’s death, at age 70, so soon after going public about the recurrence of cancer in his system—and promising to file reviews as often as possible," he says. "That’s the Roger Ebert I’m thinking about right now: not the influential critic or the lifelong newspaperman who never missed a deadline, but the guy who faced a staggering series of health crises and refused to give in. He was the bravest person I’ve ever met. It helped that he had an equally indomitable partner in his devoted wife Chaz; they made a great team."
After reminiscing about Ebert's many accomplishments and setbacks, Maltin concluded the following — that Ebert was a man who simply loved movies, and who would never give up, until the very end. "He never complained, at least publicly, and never lost his enthusiasm for writing," he says. "Instead he embraced the new social media and became a fervent Twitterer, as if to compensate for the loss of his voice by writing even more."
Follow Shaunna on Twitter @HWShaunna
[PHOTO CREDIT: A. Nevader/WireImage]
From Our Partners:40 Most Revealing See-Through Red Carpet Looks (Vh1)33 Child Stars: Where Are They Now? (Celebuzz)

Thursday was a sad day in Hollywood and the world over as we had to say goodbye to highly revered film critic Roger Ebert. Ebert, who had been battling thyroid cancer since 2002, stepped down from his duties at the Chicago Sun-Times just yesterday. Given the statement he made on Wednesday that he would continue reviewing movies of his choice, it was shocking to learn that cancer took Ebert's life so soon.
RELATED: Roger Ebert Dies At 70
In the wake of Ebert's death, Hollywood is taking to Twitter to remember the amazing man who was the first film critic ever to win the Pulitzer Prize. See what the stars are saying about Ebert's death below.
Roger, I hope you're in an infinite movie palace, watching every film the great directors only dreamed of making. RIP, @ebertchicago
— Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) April 4, 2013
Roger Ebert R.I.P. See you at the movies.
— Michael Ian Black (@michaelianblack) April 4, 2013
I started watching/reading @ebertchicago in 1984. He was a good man &amp; a fierce advocate for great film. #RIPEbert
— RainnWilson (@rainnwilson) April 4, 2013
Roger Ebert. Millions of thumbs up for you. RIP
— Michael Moore (@MMFlint) April 4, 2013
Film critic Roger Ebert dies at 70 after battle with cancer - @suntimes bit.ly/13V3yIt via @breakingnews SO FAST! Praying 4 his fam
— Carson Daly (@CarsonDaly) April 4, 2013
Sad news today, Roger Ebert has passed away. bit.ly/10feETU #breaking #brking
— maria menounos (@mariamenounos) April 4, 2013
Hail hail, a moral genius of great depth and understanding has passed from this realm.
— Roseanne Barr (@TheRealRoseanne) April 4, 2013
RIP Roger Ebert
— David Katzenberg (@DavidKatzenberg) April 4, 2013
So sad to read passing of Roger Ebert. He will forever bewatching movies with Gene Siskel. Thumbs up to him!
— Marlee Matlin (@MarleeMatlin) April 4, 2013
Reading Roger Ebert's reviews as a kid was instrumental in determining what I did w my life. He will be sorely missed.
— Justin Long (@justinlong) April 4, 2013
Roger Ebert was an excellent writer, a gifted artist, and as nice a guy as you'll ever meet.Sad he's gone.
— Jimmy Kimmel (@jimmykimmel) April 4, 2013
Thanks Mr. Ebert.
— Steve Carell (@SteveCarell) April 4, 2013
Dear Roger- you were a true friend to my me and my family. Thank you. Your voice will never be silenced. #rogerebert
— virginia madsen (@madlyv) April 4, 2013
we lost a thoughtful writer, i remember my first review from him, pi (i got his and siskel's thumbs) it was a career highlight. #rogerebert
— darren aronofsky (@DarrenAronofsky) April 4, 2013
Shocked and truly, deeply saddened at the loss of the great Roger Ebert. A legend. His voice will be missed.
— Anna Kendrick (@AnnaKendrick47) April 4, 2013
RIP and goodbye Roger Ebert. You sent me such nice emails over the years. I loved your twitter feed, enjoyed your reviews. Thank you.
— Neil Gaiman (@neilhimself) April 4, 2013
My thoughts &amp; prayers go out to my friends &amp; colleague Roger Ebert &amp; his phenomenal wife Chaz. Love and strength to you both @ebertchicago
— Leonard Maltin (@leonardmaltin) April 3, 2013
Sad to hear about the passing of Roger Ebert, he was a grand man &amp; in my opinion the dean of American film critics-he will be sorely missed
— Larry King(@kingsthings) April 4, 2013
RIP the inspiring Roger Ebert. One of the greats.
— Anthony Bourdain (@Bourdain) April 4, 2013
Just heard about the death of Roger Ebert. He was a nice, nice man. I truly liked him - I'm very sad.
— Joan Rivers (@Joan_Rivers) April 4, 2013
I Miss My Dear Friend Roger Ebert.Roger Was One Of The 1st Major Movie Critics To Support My Joints,Especially Malcolm X And DTRT.-R.I.P.
— Spike Lee (@SpikeLee) April 4, 2013
Follow Lindsey on Twitter @LDiMat.
[Photo Credit: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images]
From Our PartnersHayden Panetierre Bikinis in Miami (Celebuzz)Every Jurassic Park Dinosaur Ranked From Best to Worst (Vulture)

This Christmas Eve, the world bade farewell to two icons of show business — a pair of time-tested actors whose onscreen presence has maintained its vigorous influence since the early days of their careers. Jack Klugman, an actor nearly synonymous with his The Odd Couple character Oscar Madison, passed away at the age of 90. Charles Durning, a venerable chameleon with roles in everything from Dog Day Afternoon to Tootsie to Family Guy, died at the age of 89. Each performer has contributed something invaluable to Hollywood, with Klugman earning the honor of having perfected the art of the onscreen everyman, and Durning winning the superlative of the industry's champion character actor. Both men were and will forever be widely appreciated by fans and colleagues alike.
Since the passing of Klugman and Durning, many celebrities and artists have taken to Twitter to express their grief and reverence for the work of the actors. Below are a selection of tweets from fellow comedians and dramatists, all hoping to pay tribute to Klugman and Durning:
Jack Klugman
“@mikedrucker: RIP Jack Klugman, you were in everything I love and made everything I love better.” I agree! So funny! So likable! The best.— Judd Apatow (@JuddApatow) December 25, 2012
Condolences go out to the family of Jack Klugman. An extraordinary and talented man. He will be missed.— William Shatner (@WilliamShatner) December 24, 2012
today i lost my mentor, second father and my dear friend.i will miss you so much jack and will be eternally grateful.RIP JACK KLUGMAN— John Stamos (@JohnStamos) December 25, 2012
RIP Jack Klugman. You made my whole family laugh together.— Jon Favreau (@Jon_Favreau) December 24, 2012
Have to give some appreciation for Jack Klugman, who was a great comedian. But also i appreciated him because i am an Oscar, not a Felix.— Rachel Dratch (@TheRealDratch) December 26, 2012
I worked with Jack Klugman several years ago. He was a wonderful man and supremely talented actor.He will be missedbit.ly/Y8XfbP— max greenfield (@iamgreenfield) December 24, 2012
Jack Klugman: a fine actor who didn't let throat surgery stop him from doing what he loved most--acting. Rest in peace— Leonard Maltin (@leonardmaltin) December 25, 2012
Thank you for the laughs, Jack Klugman. RIP.— Steve Levitan (@SteveLevitan) December 24, 2012
R.I.P. Jack Klugman . Epitome of the everyman. #Classact— David Boreanaz (@David_Boreanaz) December 24, 2012
Charles Durning
RIP Charles Durning.Amazing obit in the NYT.Was in the first wave of troops to land on D-Day nytimes.com/2012/12/26/mov…— Seth Meyers (@sethmeyers21) December 25, 2012
R I P CHARLES DURNINGthe actor's actor— Henry Winkler (@hwinkler4real) December 25, 2012
RT @coltfan7: First Phyllis Diller, now RIP Charles Durning. Sad day for the #FamilyGuy company // Peter Griffin misses his mom &amp; dad.— Seth MacFarlane (@SethMacFarlane) December 25, 2012
Charles Durning, RIP: "I was born a character actor." dld.bz/bVeYU— Roger Ebert (@ebertchicago) December 25, 2012
Sad. Love him in #Tootsie :( RT @usweekly: Charles Durning, character actor, dies at 89 usm.ag/TmXosh— yvette nicole brown (@yvettenbrown) December 25, 2012
Adios, Charles Durning. You were always 'that guy'. The best. RIP— marc maron (@marcmaron) December 25, 2012
R.I.P., Great American. | "Actor, World War Two hero Charles Durning dies at 89." - news.yahoo.com/character-acto…— Adam Baldwin (@adamsbaldwin) December 25, 2012[Photo Credit: Wenn (2)]
More:
Prince William Airlifts Sick Baby to Safety
The Rolling Stones' Ronnie Wood Is Married
Claire Danes and Hugh Dancy Have Baby Boy
You Might Also Like:
20 Hot (and Horrifying) Movie Sex Scenes
See 10 Celebs With Creepy Gollum Eyes

On December 20, Sony Pictures Classics rolls out its home entertainment release of Midnight in Paris, this summer's sleeper hit directed by the legendary Woody Allen and starring Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Marion Cotillard, Michael Sheen and more! Praised for its sharp writing and lovable performances, the film is also the New York-bred auteur's biggest hit in ages, grossing nearly $140 million worldwide throughout 2011.
With a Rotten Tomatoes score of 93%, it's one of the most celebrated films of the year. Simon Miraudo at Quickflix has called Midnight in Paris, "bewitching, enchanting and enthralling" while Leonard Maltin says it's "whimsical and romantic." So if you're looking for a great flick for a movie night at home, you should check out Midnight in Paris, available everywhere DVDs are sold on December 20! http://www.sonyclassics.com/midnightinparis/

The institution has announced its top 10 films of the last 12 months, picked by a panel of industry experts including a number of former studio bosses, Oscar-winning actress Whoopi Goldberg, and movie historian Leonard Maltin.
Other films to make the list include George Clooney's critically-acclaimed The Descendants, J. Edgar, Midnight In Paris, War Horse, Hugo and two Brad Pitt films - Moneyball and The Tree Of Life.
In the TV section, Breaking Bad, Modern Family, Boardwalk Empire and Game Of Thrones were among the shows named AFI TV Programs of the Year.
Special Awards for outstanding achievement were given to the Harry Potter franchise and silent film The Artist.

Oscar-nominee George Clooney was honored at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival on Friday, joking the Modern Master Award and his three Academy Awards nominations had capped off "a bad week."
Clooney learned on Tuesday he was up for three Oscars, including Best Supporting Actor for Syriana and Best Director and Best Original Screenplay for Good Night, And Good Luck, which is up for six gongs in total at the March 5 ceremony.
On Friday, Clooney's career was celebrated by Sharon Stone, film critic Leonard Maltin and his Good Night, And Good Luck co-writer Grant Heslov at the Santa Barbara, California, festival.
Clooney says, "It's a bad week to be me. Yeah, it's been a rough time. But I'll struggle through it. What I'll be doing is a lot of therapy. And I'll be fine.
"This was the place that we brought Confessions (Confessions of a Dangerous Mind), so I have a soft spot in my heart for (this) festival. They really do embrace very different films here."
After Clooney was celebrated for choosing risky roles, he said, "And when they talk about being brave, I don't think it's brave to make films like these. I'm terrified of not making films like these, and that's the truth. I'm afraid of waking up at 70 years old and saying, 'I'm Batman again.'"
Article Copyright World Entertainment News Network All Rights Reserved.

Sandra Dee, best known for as a teen idol in a string of popular 1960s movies including Gidget and Tammy and the Doctor, died of kidney disease, the Associated Press reports. She was 62. The actress died of complications Sunday morning at the Los Robles Hospital &amp; Medical Center in Thousand Oaks, Calif., her family said.
Steve Blauner, a longtime family friend who represents Dee's former husband Bobby Darin's estate, said Dee had been hospitalized for nearly two weeks. She had been on dialysis for about four years, Blauner told AP.
"She didn't have a bad bone in her body," he told AP on Sunday. "When she was a big star in the pictures and a top five at the box office, she treated the grip the exact same way she treated the head of the studio. She meant it. She wasn't phony."
"She was Gidget, and she was Tammy, and for a time she was young America's ideal," film historian Leonard Maltin once said of her. With her innocent all-American, girl-next-door charm, Universal Studios cast Dee mostly in teen movies such as The Reluctant Debutante, The Restless Years, Tammy Tell Me True and Take Her, She's Mine. But she also got to show some acting chops in more serious films such as Imitation of Life and A Portrait In Black.
In 1960, Dee married Darin in Elizabeth, N.J., following a one-month courtship. A son, Dodd Mitchell, was born the following year.
Blauner told AP her favorite films were the ones she made with Darin, adding that the singer remained the love of her life despite their divorce. Darin, who had rheumatic fever as a child, died following heart surgery in 1973. He was 37.
Dee and Darin's turbulent marriage was highlighted in last year's Bobby Darin biopic Beyond the Sea, starring Kevin Spacey as Darin. Actress Kate Bosworth, who played Dee in the film, said at the time: "She had this image but she was so tragic and lost and naive and she could have had such potential to tap into that, but nobody gave her the chance."

The DVD version of Stars Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace was the big winner Wednesday at the fifth annual DVD Awards in Universal City, Calif., which honor the best in DVD arts and sciences.
George Lucas and 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment took home four awards, including viewers' choice, best menu design, authoring and audio presentation (the last of which was shared with Buena Vista Home Entertainment's Pearl Harbor: Vista Series.
Warner Home Video's DVD version of the 1941 Orson Welles classic Citizen Kane won the best of show award, while The Godfather DVD Collection took the best special edition DVD award.
Other winners included Elevation 2001:U2 Live From Boston for best music release, Shrek for video presentation and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone for best DVD-ROM support.
The show was produced by United Entertainment Media and International Recording Media Association and was hosted by movie aficionado Leonard Maltin.

Title

Ordered to apologize to actor Billy Gray for refering to him as a drug addict in a review of the 1971 documentary "Dusty and Sweets McGee"

Organized Museum of Modern Art tribute to Warner Bros Cartoons

Joined TV show, "Entertainment Tonight" in its first season as a film critic; later began producing (as well as writing and editing) features and interviews

Returned to film reviewing on "Entertainment Tonight" in the early 1990s

Served as guest director of the Museum of Modern Art's Bicentennial Salute to American Film Comedy

Held a faculty position at the New School for Social Research

Served as contributing editor, VIDEO REVIEW magazine

Raised in Teaneck, New Jersey

Began film magazine FILM FAN MONTHLY at age 15; remained editor and publisher for nine years

Appointed as film critic for PLAYBOY, replacing Bruce Williamson

Summary

Leonard Maltin is one of the very few film historians to attain visibility as well as readability to a wide public. He began his career at the age of 15 as founder, publisher and editor of FILM FAN MONTHLY, which he would eventually oversee for nine years. His bearded, bespectacled mien, boyishly cracking voice and high-octane enthusiasm for the cinema won the gratitude of a wide public via a daily syndicated radio program, "Leonard Maltin on Video", and especially his roles as resident historian and later critic on the long-running syndicated TV ode to showbiz facts, fads and trivia, "Entertainment Tonight" (1982- ).

Name

Role

Comments

Jessica Bennett Maltin

Daughter

Alice Maltin

Wife

married in March 1975

Education

Name

New York University

Notes

Maltin has also hosted several home video programs including "Cartoons for Big Kids", "The Lost Stooges" and the "Leonard Maltin Movie Memories" series.